​Forget Barnum and Bailey; this is the greatest show on Earth if you want to be transported to a bygone era of classic cars, style and glamour.

This unique annual motor racing event is held in the spectacular grounds of Lord March’s 12,000-acre Goodwood House estate in West Sussex. In the words of F1 racing legend Jackie Stewart, “There’s nothing close to this in the world. It has the biggest selection of cars and the biggest crowds of spectators too.” Each year crowds come out in droves to witness the action with celebrities such as David Gandy, Rowan Atkinson, Zara Tindall, David Coultard, and Stirling Moss, amongst others mingling with the masses.

Even if you’re not into cars and motorcycles, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Attendees are encouraged to get into the spirit of things by dressing in vintage attire to herald the golden days of motoring, which often featured a leisurely picnic with fine champagne - all while taking in the countryside views.

Arrive in StyleTo ensure a grand entrance, many attendees arrive in their prized automobiles. For those who really want to make an impression, there’s even the option to arrive by helicopter, thanks to Goodwood’s private airfield.

Upon arrival, the first thing guests will notice is the car park, which is usually an experience in itself given the wide variety of jaw-dropping wheels that are typically on display such as a Ferrari Dino, a vintage Rolls Royce or a James Bond style Aston Martin.

Racing at GoodwoodThe overall site is huge and it’s easy to get distracted and miss the racing. For those interested in watching the racing in all its glory, there are information points at various locations with staff on hand to provide advice.

The car racing takes place on a 2.5 mile track, which has viewing areas around its complete circumference. Apart from car racing, there is also vintage motorcycle racing with bikes such as Manx Nortons, Dominators, Triumphs and German BMW’s, which were being serviced by mechanics in lederhosen - a sight worth seeing! The track side atmosphere is sensational as spectators can get close to the participating vehicles in the race preparation areas.

Another highlight for many people is the Settrington Cup, a children’s race featuring vintage pedal cars. With a bit of luck, one of the participating children might become the next Lewis Hamilton!

What to see and do at GoodwoodObviously, the vintage vehicles are the main attraction at Goodwood Revival, but there are also plenty of other vintage installations and activities taking place throughout the site to celebrate the era.

Flight displays at GoodwoodGoodwood is renowned for its flight displays, which feature WW2 era Spitfires being put through their acrobatic paces. Flight enthusiasts will also love the Mustang on display - one of the most iconic American airplanes used during WW2. For those ​who want to get up close to the participating vintage planes, there is a viewing area, which provides ample photo opportunities.

Music at GoodwoodFor a non-music event there is a lot of great live music on offer. There are stages scattered around the site including a traditional ballroom with dancing, a band stand, and a fabulous converted 1950s airstream trailer stage. Gasoline Alley, which was designed as an homage to the American surf era, was one of my favourite areas and was definitely the most ‘kicking’ place all day. It featured diner-style catering, rockabilly tunes from the Ding Dong Daddios, and a bevy of spinning dancers in drape suits and big skirts jiving to the infectious beats.

Shopping at GoodwoodLocated near the car park, Over the Road is an area that features multiple clothing and accessories shops and, of course, everything for the car enthusiast.

The Fairground at GoodwoodFamilies will love the impressive fairground that will keep the kids happy as they experience the various attractions and rides.

Dining at GoodwoodWhen it comes to good food, you’re spoilt for choice. There are many premium food vendors on site as well as fine dining options. Alternatively, you can pre-book a Goodwood picnic (complete with a bottle of cold bubbly) for collection.

What to wearNearly everyone dresses in period costume; it’s one of those places where you’ll actually look more ridiculous if you don’t make an effort. Think woollen waistcoats and tweed flat caps for the men, and slinky Sixties shifts for the women. For guests who’ve really made an effort with their attire, there is a daily ‘best dressed’ catwalk show.

Top tips for visiting Goodwood

If you have sensitive ears, it may be worth investing in a set of ear defenders or ear plugs

The best vantage point can be found at The Ford pavilion, which is right next to the starting line

Buy Goodwood 2018 ticketsAlthough the festival doesn’t take place until September (7-9), the event always sells out, so now’s the time to start making your enquiries for 2018!To book tickets, visit www.goodwood.com.

What better way to explore Venice than being on the hunt for thought provoking, enlightening world class art and exhibitions? I recently made the pilgrimage to see the work of Khadija Saye, an artist who sadly died in the Grenfell Tower disaster, an unexpected and poignant moment during my visit.​While this trip was my first time visiting Venice, I had to remain focused and not be distracted by the sheer beauty of the city, to ensure I had ample time to take everything in during my weekend jaunt. For those who wish to see all that the Biennale has on offer, I’d recommend a five or six-day visit, however, a weekend visit will give you a good flavour of what’s on show.​Now is the perfect time to visit – the throng of summer tourists have packed up and left and the Biennale buffs have been and gone – leaving a wonderful space to wander round the exhibitions bathed in the dazzling Autumn glow. In addition to experiencing the artworks themselves, you can attend ‘Open Table’ sessions with the artists and check out the music festival.

Image courtesy of Venice Biennale

This year’s curator is Parisian Christine Macel, best known for her curatorial role at the Pompidou Centre. Macel’s working title for this year’s Biennale ‘Viva Arte Viva’, translates to ‘a celebration of the artist and of art for its own sake’, a move away from one central theme most Biennales have, while removing it from a political agenda where many Biennales have sat in the past.

Throughout the Biennale there are 120 invited artists from 51 countries; 103 of whom are participating for the first time. While most of the artwork is concentrated in the two main sites, The Biennale spreads throughout the city with more than 20 collateral events and exhibitions taking place.

The main exhibition sites are the Giardini and the Arsenale; two immense permanent buildings that sit within a 10-minute walk of each other and lie along one of the main waterways of Venice. The participating artists are grouped together into nine ‘chapters’ including The Pavilion of Joys and Fears, which explores the relationship between the individual and his own existence, and The Dionysian Pavilion, which celebrates the female body and its sexuality. These groupings help the viewer navigate their way around an eclectic mix of art forms, scale and meaning.​So, if you haven't had the chance to attend, now's the time to go! To wrap up the celebrations in style, the grand finale on 26 November promises an exciting programme of events and closing parties, ensuring an electric atmosphere for all to enjoy.​Elinor Seath

Brixton Design Trail returns for its second year as a London Design Festival District with a theme of Love is Power, communicating the positive force of love in celebrating difference and promoting acceptance.

The aim is to design by community and collaboration to ensure Brixton’s creative spirit is kept alive during the natural process of regeneration in town centres. Brixton will showcase an exciting line up of local designers from a range of backgrounds, highlighting that our community is made up of many cultures living alongside each other with respect for diversity and an appreciation of many shared values – it is this mix that is the essence of Brixton.

Once again Brixton Design Trail will champion the democratisation of design by establishing it as part of the everyday and accessible to everyone, using streets and public spaces as a canvas for expression. In partnership with the Brixton BID and supported by Lambeth, a number of installations will bring permanent improvements to public spaces, putting creativity at the heart of the areas regeneration. In addition to installations and design showcases, a series of talks and tours will focus on Brixton’s evolving design heritage from street art and murals to loved landmarks and unusual spaces.

London Design Festival celebrates and promotes London as the design capital of the world. Now in its 15th year, the Festival will be returning to venues and institutions across the city from now until the 24 September 2017. A major feature of the Festival is an ambitious programme of over 450 projects and events, offering Londoners and visitors to the city an opportunity to experience world-class, innovative, and challenging design across the capital. Key exhibitions to see at The London Design Festival...

Set in StoneThe Design Museum, which opened the doors to its new home in Kensington in November 2016, presents an exciting project during this year’s London Design Festival. Set in Stone presents a selection of works by eight designers invited to explore the potential of marble and limestone. These works, displayed in various locations both inside and outside the museum, include objects intended for public use, such as seating by Eduardo Souto de Moura; a slide by Elemental; graphic pieces by Sagmeister & Walsh; and a series of domestic objects by Michael Anastassiades and Jasper Morrison.

The project is an investigation of the qualities of stone, and the technical means through which it is cut and shaped. The natural formation of stone over millions of years produces patterns and textures that are unique and unrepeatable. The designers’ responses represent small moments of monumentality that reflect the solidity and permanence of an elemental material.

Drop in the OceanDesigner, Brodie Neill, presents ‘Drop in the Ocean’ at ME London, a mesmerising site specific nature-driven installation, located in The Atrium of the iconic Foster + Partners designed hotel, the Official Hotel Partner for the Festival. ME London, is the flagship property for the ME by Melia brand, located in the cultural heart of Covent Garden.

Neill’s presentation premieres his work Flotsam, produced using his self-created material Ocean Terrazzo which Neill developed for the Australian Pavilion for the 2016 London Design Biennale, and confronts the problem of the world’s plastic waste within our oceans. Cast completely as singular pieces, the Flotsam collection is created from a combination of all-white Ocean Terrazzo to reflect water and multicoloured ocean plastic fragments to reference the floating nature of the plastic waste which travels across oceans and break down into small fragments from the force of the currents, meanwhile the single drop seen in the melodic installation symbolises the smallest essence of nature resulting in momentous consequences.​

The torrential rain and ankle-deep mud didn’t disturb the fun that was had at Lulworth Castle in Dorset for Camp Bestival. I think the organisers were caught by surprise at the relentless weather – there could have been more undercover areas, especially for the little ones and big families – but you can’t blame them for that.

That being said, on the day of our arrival our spirits were lifted thanks to sunny weather and a pleasant surprise in the form of a festival survival kit courtesy of Waitrose.

In true Camp Bestival style, the atmosphere was friendly and safe, making it a great place for families and young people alike to let their hair down and celebrate great music, food and comedy, while having stacks of fun.

The Bollywood Tent

All Hail The Bollywood Tent!

My favourite place throughout the weekend was undoubtedly Raindance at the Bollywood Tent, which was packed every day and night, with what felt like a car park of festival trolleys, prams and push chairs at the back of the marquee, full of sleeping children donning ear protectors as their parents danced nearby.

Norman Jay MBEDuring the Saturday afternoon Norman Jay MBE, played an unusually slow set to start with – I think the crowd wanted more because of the rain. But after a while, it was obvious we were in the company of a proficient atmosphere architect as he upped the tempo and kept everybody smiling.

LiquidLater in the evening Raindance reigned supreme with early rave scene legend, Liquid (Eamon Downes) playing four tracks during his set, including one from his new album Energy Flows. Eamon was welcomed to the stage by his adorable five-year-old daughter, Bella, who introduced him in Italian (she was raised in Rome), while being held in the arms of her uncle-figure and Raindance host, Billy Daniel Bunter.

Liquid began with Closer; followed by Liquid is Liquid (his personal all-time favourite), then his most popular big-room piano anthem, Sweet Harmony, which made the crowd go wild. He wrapped up his set with a dub- influenced jungle track from his new album that left us all wanting more.

Shades of RhythmShades of Rhythm (Rayan ‘Gee’ Hepburn, Nick Slater and Kevin Lancaster) had a captivating and warm stage presence, while playing all of their big hits, including The Sound of Eden, Sweet Sensation and Homicide, to a welcoming crowd. One of the memorable moments during their show was an acapella performance of The Sound of Eden by lead vocalist Gee who dedicated the song to a couple who had just got married at the festival!

Mark Archer As one would expect from Mark Archer, aka ‘Altern-8’, he played a goose-bump enticing set full of old hardcore favourites and rave classics, which everyone loved.

Scratch-masters 2 Bad Mice, left us all in awe with their amazing turntable antics and singer Rachel Wallace shook the tent with her upfront bellowing style and feisty vocals with I feel This Way and Don’t Stand in My Way.

Leftism 22Leftfield headlined the Castle Stage on Sunday night and were in one word – incredible. Read my full review here.

Ben Ricci with Neil Barnes of Leftfield and looking cool after a fun spot of face painting

Family Fun

Thanks to pressure from my 10-year-old niece, and wanting to get into the family spirit of things, I had my face painted (featuring a cool dragon) courtesy of Siobhan Collett and Nam Nam’s.

Showcasing the Silent Volunteers

Camp Bestival brings together many groups of volunteers that make the event extra special. The Isle of Wight Youth Trust for example, manages the lost property office, and I am forever indebted to them because they found my car keys that fell out of my pocket on the first night!

Music Angels is a social enterprise that provides battery packs and a mobile phone charging service, which for most festival-goers is as important as having a tent to keep you warm and dry at night. All of their profits go towards helping children in Rwanda.

Queueing for crepes. Image courtesy of Ben Ricci.

​Culinary Camp Bestival

French CrêpesThe food was exceptional at Camp Bestival and one of my favourite food stalls was French Crêpes where crepes take centre stage. Each night I enjoyed a delicious mushroom and cheddar cheese crepe – a lovely and indulgent treat before heading to bed.

La Grande BouffeOn our final evening, we treated ourselves to a mouth-watering tartiflette – a traditional French dish from the Alps made with potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons and onions - from la Grande Bouffe (The Big Nosh). This efficiently run food stall with its exquisite and authentic foodie offering is a must.

Image courtesy of Camp Bestival

Magnificent Fireworks Finalē

The fireworks and animated finalē was set against the backdrop of Lulworth Castle and is carefully engineered to a soundtrack of popular tunes and poignant messages about the environment and citizenship. It made for a memorable ending to what was a great few days - no matter what the weather.

​My journey from Bournemouth to the Latitude Festival in Southwold, Suffolk, was epic to say the least. But the 7-hour trip of trains, tubes and buses was well worth it once I’d arrived.

Here festivalgoers from all over the country come to celebrate with some of the biggest bands in folk, indie, electronic, dance, disco and soul. The atmosphere is incredibly welcoming, with a mix of young people, families and hardcore band fanatics all merging together united by a shared love of music.

Albeit pretty middle class – it has a Waitrose on site – Latitude Festival is an absolute delight. The bar staff, market traders, servers and local volunteers were standout and the famous vibrantly dyed sheep were a must see.

Sheep dreams are made of these... Image courtesy of Litro Magazine

Musical highlights from Latitude Festival

Mavis StaplesAt 78, Mavis has spent the past 67 years curating her own brand of ‘real’. Throughout her set she serenaded the crowd with gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, funk and new jack swing.

Since her early days with The Staples Sisters, she’s collaborated with every musician on the planet including Prince, Bob Dylan, Curtis Mayfield and The Gorillaz.

Surprisingly, there weren’t many people watching her at first, but 20 minutes into her set the field filled to capacity. As she performed, her infectious smile let everyone know that she loved every minute of her performance - a memorable masterclass in originality, powerful vocals and joyful stories.

Disco dancingI’m a huge fan of rare disco, funk, Italian disco, New York Boogie and 80s disco infused electronica and Latitude proudly had all of these in abundance. I couldn’t have been happier!

During the daytime, Peckham’s hallowed Eccentrics Disco set the standard at the luxurious Oatly Bar and Every tune– all on vinyl – was in my top 20 of all time. When the sun went down, the fun-filled funk boys at Disco Shed kept everybody moving. And to top it off, legendary S Express icon Mark Moore played a host of classics that kept the crowd dancing into the early morning hours.

Is it Pimms O'Clock yet?

The Quintessentially English Pimms O’ Clock at Croquet East

Another unforgettable experience during Latitude was enjoying a refreshing Pimms on the croquet lawn, hosted by London’s very own croquet club, Croquet East. Donned with straw hats, pin stripe suits and hipster moustaches, they made Pimms O’Clock an important addition to festivalgoer’s daily schedules.

Delicious food at Latitude

Baz & FredThe heavenly homemade pizza from Baz & Fred took an hour to make but every bite was well worth the wait. The posh ingredients and fresh dough were exceptional and enjoying it in the middle of a field in the idyllic Suffolk countryside made it all the more special.

BlixenBlixen ran a very efficient operation. With its deluxe marquee akin to a sleek London nightspot, fine-dining-style service, super cocktails and nightly DJs, it was impeccable in every way. Their sensational espresso martini shots made my festival!

Overall, it was a fabulous festival with something for everyone to enjoy.

It has been 22 years since Mercury Prize-nominated electronic duo Leftfield (consisting of Paul Daley and Neil Barnes) released their legendary album Leftism. Voted one of the top 10 albums of all time, and described by Mixmag as “perhaps the best electromic album ever made,” Leftism remains current today.

Camp Bestival 2017 was the perfect setting for Leftism’s 22nd anniversary showcase - their biggest gig of the year - performed in front of an appreciative, 20,000 strong crowd who bounced along throughout their set, which featured every performer from Leftism’s original hall of fame (minus Paul Daley, who is no longer part of Leftfield) plus a couple of new additions.

During the set, Neil Barnes sang and played a variety of instruments, including guitar, wind instruments, conga drums and an Ektara – a single stringed Indian instrument that looks like a simpler version of a Sitar. Add to that at least seven synths, drum machines and controllers and it made for an exciting, nostalgic and powerfully performed show that conveyed perfection with every note.

Photo courtesy of Ben Ricci

Fully in charge and overflowing with intense concentration and occasionally jumping around and pumping his arm in the air, Barnes ensured the crowd were in for an enthralling, bass crunching, visually mind-blowing masterclass in old skool electronica. It was in one word - incredible. ​The sound was outer-planetary and the atmosphere astonishing, with influences of reggae, dub and roots, jungle-infused drum and bass, tribal house and tough symphonic progressive house dominating the show.

During ‘Release the Pressure’ MC Cheshire Cat with the Dexterous Earl Sixteen rocked the stage and Neil Cole aka MC Djum Djum’s deep African rhymes left us captivated by his power on ‘Afro-Left’.

‘Bass shaking Inspection (Check One)’ began with dub adroit Danny Red grooving across the stage as he revved up the crowd and his Dancehall patois, were later joined by the formidable MC Cheshire Cat whose street style stage presence was undeniably radical.

Enchantress Tarantina mesmerised the audience with her Stevie Nicks-esque hip twisting moves and haunting vocals, replacing Toni Halliday on the first release of ‘Original’, and Ofei delivered a captivating performance, closing the show with ‘21st Century Poem’, with its poignant messages that couldn’t be more relevant today.

Photo courtesy of Ben Ricci

Leftism 22 was timeless, majestic and mesmerizing. These feelings were echoed by Q Magazine, as they asserted, “It’s hard to overestimate the significance of Leftism, roundly acknowledged upon its release in 1995 as the first truly complete album experience to be created by house musicians and the first quintessentially British one.”

At the final curtain, it was all over too soon, no matter how much the audience wanted ‘one more.’ Instead, Barnes and his team grouped together in what felt like a family shot and exited leaving us all breathless and stirred by what we had just experienced. It was an emotional moment for all dance music aficionados.

After the show, we had a chance to catch up with Neil Barnes who said, “I get contacted all the time by people that tell me how much Leftism has changed their life. It changed my life…every single track has a special moment for me, I just try to do it justice.”

Smoked & Uncut is a food and music festival that focuses on locally farm-sourced organic produce, ciders and wines all accompanied with music from local bands and acoustic artists. Visitors can choose to camp for one or two days in the grounds of The Pig boutique hotel and restaurant in Brokenhurst, located in the heart of the New Forest.

The most distinctive feature of the Smoked and Uncut festival was its uncompromising quality. Everything was of top-notch quality and the relaxed atmosphere makes it a great choice for everyone, whether it be couples, groups of friends or families.

Set in an open air field, with hay bale seating surrounded by food and drink stalls, it was a great way to mark the beginning of the summer season. The food was sensational and there was lots of choice. I loved the wood fired oven baked chipotle chicken quesadilla. The guacamole was exceptionally delicious with a lovely balance of coriander and lime.

There's nothing better to accompany great food than great music and Smoked & Uncut didn't disappoint. My favourite acts during the day included Portsmouth based band Winters Hill,who opened the festival, and Just Millie and Lucy Mayhew who set the tone with their charming Americana style.

Just Millie has been going from strength to strength recently and she deserves all of the attention she's getting thanks to her bold stage presence, feisty style and powerful vocals, making her one to watch.

Lucy Mayhew performed an acoustic unplugged set with her guitar in a prestigious marquee, complete with leather chesterfield suites, vintage carpets and rugs galore. I particularly loved her honest performance. Lucy played a variety of covers in her unique style, taking well known songs and giving them her own unmistakable narrative.

Smoked and Uncut continues at venues throughout the summer in Devon, Somerset and Limewood in the New Forest. Tickets can be purchased here.

Summertime 2017 is set to be one of the biggest ever as far as festival frivolities are concerned, with Camp Festival (27-30 July) expected to reign supreme for its 10th year running.

A family festival at its heart, (but please don’t let this put you off if you don’t have any small creatures of your own), Camp Bestival is a wonderland that keeps on giving across three days of fun-filled festival deliciousness, suitable for all ages and musical tastes. The line up is tantalising. The beautiful grounds of Lulworth Castle are spectacular. The world’s biggest disco ball will be there. The locally sourced food is going to be sublime and hopefully the British weather will be on our side, too.

This will be my second time attending this festival and even while I’m writing this preview, the acts and DJs that are appearing give me goosebumps.

The line up

Headlining Friday night is Grammy and Brit Award winner Mark Ronson, one of Britain’s most successful musicians who continues to set the music industry alight. His collaboration with Bruno Mars on Uptown Funk was the biggest selling tune of 2014 and the fourth most viewed video of all time on YouTube!

Saturday sees 80s 2-Tone ska legends and comedic Londoners Madness, who will be performing their 15 top 10 greatest hits, ensuring a party on stage.

But the best is saved for Sunday night where Leftfield will celebrate the 22nd anniversary of their ground-breaking album Leftism. This is expected to be an emotional moment for all hardy electronic fans and will be set against the backdrop of a fireworks finale.

And if that’s not enough, The Beach Boys’ front man supremo Brian Wilson will present Pet Sounds also on Sunday evening during the sunset. Released back in 1966, Pet Sounds remains one of the greatest pieces of experimental music of all time and shouldn’t be missed.

Additional acts over the weekend include All Saints, The Cuban Brothers, The Christians and T'Pau. Sing-along moments and childhood memories will be a-plenty.

From a dance point of view – which is very close to my heart – Good Times maestro Norman Jay MBE will be playing along with Rob da Bank, Raindance DJs, Altern-8, Billy Daniel Bunter, Shades of Rhythm and Liquid. I think I might pass out when Liquid plays Sweet Harmony live! It’s my favourite track from way back in 1992.

BBC Radio 2’s Sara Cox will also be playing an assortment of 80s nostalgia with Clint Boon from the Inspiral Carpets and Bez from the Happy Mondays taking us back to the glory days of Indie gems. To end each night, the amazing Silent Disco will ensure smiles all round.

Something for everyone to enjoy​This year, the theme is Pop Stars and Rock Stars and the festival organisers thoroughly encourage getting you involved with dressing up.

I’ll be bringing you the latest news; photos and videos live from Camp Bestival on social media throughout the weekend, so follow me on Instagram mrbenricci and destinationdelicious for regular updates.